Tickets for “A Tuna Christmas” are currently on sale at the BE Chamber Office during regular business hours. The $20 ticket includes hot wassail, full roast pork dinner, Madrigal serenade, and, of course, the two-act comedy. Can’t get to the office—call 507-526-2916 to reserve your tickets. Show dates are November 30 and December 1 at 7 p.m. and December 2 at 1 p.m. This is one show you don’t want to miss!

Congratulations to Jolene Krussow, this year’s recipient of our Lifetime Member Award! She has played violin and piano in many pit orchestra for both summer musicals and winter dinner theater productions. Congratulations, Jolene!

All sorts of news. Auditions were completed for this summer’s musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” and for once we had enough men! We still need younger gals and child singers, however. If you’re interested, please let us know!

The Patron Drive is humming right along—Treasurer Laurie reports that the contributions are strong AND the voting for Christmas Dinner Theater shows is running 3-1 for a new show (rather than an encore performance). Tell us in the comments to this post if you would like an encore, or a new performance for Dinner Theater this year! If you have ideas for shows you would like to see, go ahead and add a title. We’d love to hear from you!

Get ready for the Blue Earth Town and Country Players’ 2011 Christmas Dinner Theater production of “A Christmas Story!”

The play is based upon the Warner Bros. motion picture, A Christmas Story, written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark and on the book, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, by Jean Shepherd. “This play is adapted from the movie, so it contains much of the movie’s humor and charm,” explains Director, Nancy Steinke.

Humorist Jean Shepherd’s memoir of growing up in the midwest of the 1940s follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas. He pleads his case before his mother, his teacher, and even Santa Claus himself at Goldblatt’s Department Store with the consistent response being, “You’ll shoot your eye out!”

All the elements from the motion picture will be on stage, including the family’s temperamental exploding furnace; Scut Farkas, the school bully; the boys’ experiment with a wet tongue on a cold lamppost; the Little Orphan Annie decoder pin; Ralphie’s father winning the infamous “leg lamp;” and much more.

Show dates are December 2-4, 2011, on Stage 28 in the Blue Earth Area Middle School (enter through Door N on 6th Street).

Our summer production of “Guys and Dolls” went very well, and everyone had a blast! Take a look at the photos to see more!

Considered one of the finest musical comedies ever written, Guys and Dolls is packed with one unforgettable song after another—not to mention loads of romance and charm to spare. With beloved tunes such as:

The three performances of “Nuncrackers” were very well received by the audiences this past weekend. The lovable Little Sisters of Hoboken and the adorable students from the Mount St. Helen’s School, along with the ever-helpful Father Virgil, had everyone laughing and even singing along during the T & C Players’ 23rd Christmas Dinner Theater. Kudos to the cast and crew!

The Blue Earth Town and Country Players’ 2010 Patron Drive began in March and already several thousand dollars have been contributed to the cause. Our thanks to all who have donated so generously to the 2010 drive. This year’s contributions have been earmarked for two important projects to improve the quality of our productions: upgrade of lighting instruments and purchase of more cordless microphones.

Working in cooperation with the local school district, the Town and Country Players continue to make improvements to the PAC, which this year focus on the purchase of several new lighting instruments and bulbs. With the success of the cordless mic units in last summer’s production of “How To Talk Minnesotan—the Musical,” the Board has authorized the purchase of several more units for the 2010 production of “Children of Eden.” Great lighting and great sound, combined with great talent, guarantee another successful show for the Blue Earth Town and Country Players.

Improvements continue to be made in the Stage 28 Gymnatorium (located in the Middle School building), where the annual Christmas Dinner Theaters are held. Last December patrons noticed the installation of darkening drapes on the south windows. As funds allow, darkening drapes will be purchased for installation on the east windows. Earlier this year a portable sound system was purchased, which can be used to enhance the shows in that space. Also, the rewiring for the stage lights is almost complete.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to make a contribution, it’s not too late. Contributions can be made simply by sending a check payable to:

Blue Earth Town and Country Players

c/o Laurie Christensen, Treasurer

P.O. Box 96

Blue Earth, MN 56013

For those who would prefer an electronic option, the Board is working to set up a PayPal account.

Contributions are tax deductible and are categorized as follows:

CONTRIBUTOR – under $25 – this entitles you to special priority notice of the Christmas show.

SUSTAINING MEMBER – from $25 to $49 – this entitles you to two reserved complimentary tickets for the summer show, an invitation to the opening night gala, and special priority notice of the Christmas show.

PATRON – from $50 to $99, this entitles you to four reserved complimentary tickets for the summer show, an invitation to the opening night gala, and special priority notice of the Christmas show.

ANGEL - contribution of $100 or more - this entitles you to four reserved complimentary tickets for the summer show, an invitation to the opening night gala, special priority notice of the Christmas show, and the admiration of everyone involved with the Blue Earth Town and Country Players.

Once again, thank you for your support of the Blue Earth Town and Country Players.